Committee holds fourth meeting to decide NOPD consent decree overseer

Members of the community were given a chance to voice their opinions

Today was the fourth meeting to discuss who will be the monitor of the NOPD consent decree.

A 10-member committee made up of representatives from the city and the Department of Justice has narrowed 12 possible candidates down to two.

With the city of New Orleans throwing its support behind Hillard Heintze out of Chicago, and the DOJ is recommending a firm from Washington, D.C., Sheppard Mullin, to oversee what’s been called “much-needed” reform to policies and practices in the NOPD.

Following today’s discussions about the two remaining candidates, members of the community were given a chance to voice their opinions.

“And I’m listening to you all take about them, and I’m thinking, isn’t there any way that we can pick and get some of the best people, so that we come out of here with a consensus between you all about the best team? Not the city’s team or the DOJ’s team, but the best team to try to solve the problem," said civil rights attorney Mary Howell.

A fifth and final meeting will be held April 30. If a monitor is not selected then, a federal judge will choose between the remaining two candidates.